For any medical profession, it is imperative to be comfortable with science. Medicine is both a science and an art. That means that not only are the biological details a necessary part of the training, but the creative interpretation of those details is important along with their unique application to each patient. Therefore, a secondary curriculum must contain ample chemistry, physics, and biology.

In college, the major field of study is not critical, but the successful completing of the courses required for application to medical school is important. Most students take four years to complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree. Some students finish in less time, but still others take additional coursework to obtain a Master's degree before going to medical school.

In medical school, it is again important to do well in your basic science courses (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, microbiology, etc.) and clinical courses. You may have the opportunity to take a sub-internship or clerkship in plastic surgery. This would be a very good idea to provide first-hand experience with what a plastic surgeon does on a day-to-day basis.

The plastic surgery residency is one of the longest and most difficult of any medical specialty. Five years of general surgery (or orthopedic surgery or ear, nose and throat surgery) training are required before beginning plastic surgery, although some accredited plastic surgery training programs may accept applicants who have only three or four years of prior surgical training. Then, as the final step, two or three years of training in plastic surgery is required before being Board Eligible (prior to being Board Certified). In all, the training past High School is typically 16 years.